A Resilient
Colorado River
Our grant programs are designed to be timely and strategic, empowering communities to take direct action in a way that will have a lasting impact.
Our Resilient Colorado River Program
The Colorado River is a beloved destination of major cultural, spiritual, economic, social and environmental significance. We go to this river to hike, kayak, raft, fish and find peace. Wildlife and local communities depend on its natural resources to thrive. For Native tribes, the Colorado River is a sacred site providing water for life, agriculture and ceremonies for thousands of years. Our farmers and ranchers rely on this river to grow healthy, sustainable food. The river provides millions of Americans with energy and clean drinking water throughout the Southwest.
The Colorado River begins in the snow-packed Rocky Mountains, more than 10,000 feet above sea level. From there, it flows 1,450 miles through some of the driest and hottest landscapes in the country, passing through six U.S. states and into Mexico.
With such grand responsibilities and immense pressures, our iconic river is suffering. Our changing climate is accelerating snowmelt, increasing evaporation rates, causing severe droughts and exacerbating the frequency of wildfires. We must act now to ensure our hardest working river in the West continues to be a national treasure for future generations.
In addition to the Colorado, its tributaries, including the Gunnison, Roaring Fork, Dolores, Escalante, Gila and Verde in Colorado, Utah and Arizona respectively, are among the rivers we prioritize.
All projects must demonstrate inclusion in project planning and execution by actively seeking and valuing a variety of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences from the communities the project will serve. Grantmaking through this program protects and restores natural processes of the river and its tributaries.
Priorities include but are not limited to projects that:
- Support biodiversity and improve connectivity between streams and their floodplains.
- Restore degraded wildlife habitat by removing invasive species or planting native species.
- Improve breeding and nesting habitat for migratory birds.
- Minimize fire danger and improve the resilience of watersheds.
- Reduce streambank and soil erosion.
- Improve instream water quality, quantity and temperature.
Our Grantees
Since our inception in 2018, we have invested over $4 million dollars in the rivers and streams supporting rural and underserved communities.
Our grants are currently invitation only. You are welcome to introduce yourself by emailing a brief narrative of less than 250 words to
danielle@foreverourrivers.org
